MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has been covering Major League Baseball since 1981 and is the author of "Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Cubs." You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. Here, she blogs about the Cubs.

3/15 Theriot to leadoff; Fontenot has edge

Lou Piniella has settled on a leadoff man. Piniella said Monday that Ryan Theriot will leadoff for the Cubs with Kosuke Fukudome batting second. Also, Piniella said Theriot’s LSU teammate, Mike Fontenot, has “jumped ahead” of Jeff Baker in the battle for playing time at second base.

“It hasn’t been finalized but that’s the way I view it,” Piniella said.

With Theriot set at No. 1, the lineup would be the shortstop followed by Fukudome, Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Marlon Byrd, Alfonso Soriano, whoever is at second and Geovany Soto. That gives the Cubs left-handed hitters in the Nos. 2 and 7 holes.

— Carrie Muskat

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If it’s not going to be Castro at SS and Theriot at 2B, I like Fontenot a little (no pun intended) better than Baker at 2B. Not really a big fan of Fontenot but will be o.k. with giving him another chance until Castro can’t be held back anymore. With Baker on the bench and able to play not only 3B to back up the Ram but also either corner outfeild position doesn’t this make the Nady signing even more suspect? Hey, I hope Nady hits so well that he forces Fukodome to the bench but that can’t happen until at least June when he can throw again and still leaves the outfield situation somewhat questionable. Maybe THAT’S Hendry’s plan? (if he knows what a plan is…). The Cubs would still be foolish to break camp without a bonafide defensive stud outfielder such as Fuld. Fukodome’s good but not Fuld good, especially in center.

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